I’m not one to jump on the bandwagon of declaring anything and everything you might not like about your date a red flag. But some things are very clear, and your job is to pay attention and act accordingly.
I’ve been a dating coach for the past 15 years, and one question I get over and over is about red flags, especially on the first date.
Now, some things are a matter of preference or taste. Think: Their pants are too short. Their hair is too long. Their sense of humor doesn’t match mine. Other things are personal dealbreakers. For example, if someone wants children and you don’t.
While preferences and even dealbreakers are a matter of alignment rather than inherently good or bad, a red flag is a universal, character-based issue like dishonesty, lack of empathy, disrespect, manipulation, or anything that compromises your emotional or physical safety.
These first date phrases are clear red flags:
